SmartPulse — our weekly nonscientific reader poll in SmartBrief on Sales — tracks feedback from sales managers and executives. We run the poll question each Wednesday in our e-newsletter.
Last week, we asked: How is your sales department’s relationship with your company’s marketing department?
- OK: 35.34%
- Great: 25.86%
- We don’t have a marketing department: 20.69%
- Not so hot: 14.66%
- Terrible: 3.45%
While these results are pretty typical, I wish there were more of you who could answer “Great.” The alignment of a company’s sales and marketing departments is critical to attaining its goals. The marketing department has responsibility for developing sales tools that support the sales process.
When there is alignment, marketing works with sales to understand that department’s front-line experiences — what clients are saying, what end users are saying, etc. — so tools created are stronger and more relevant. When marketing and sales are “joined at the hip,” this synergy creates better pipeline development, better sales presentations, better proposals and a better close ratio.
Stephen Pia is the founder of COACH MEdia and a sales trainer and coach.